Portable desk.



D.- C. (IOLLIER.

PORTABLE DESK.

. APPHCATION man AUG.22, 1911. LHKMWG Patented July 20, 1915, 1 2 suczw-snsn I.

l p-L 1 D. c. COLLIER.

PORTABLE DESK. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1911.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

DAVID C. COLLIER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

PORTABLE DESK.

State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Desks, of which the tion.

It has been my purpose to produce a desk which shall contain all of the necessary devices and materials making up the equipment of an ordinary business mans desk and which at the same time may be folded into compact space and be carried about like a suit case. The equipment is secured in the main casing when closed in the most compact form. and is easily accessible when the easing is open for use.

The novel features and the advantages of the device will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings. g

In the drawings: Figure'l is a perspective view of the device with the cover raised. Fig. 2 isv a plan view of the bottom section showing the arrangement of the equip ment therein. Fig. 3 is a cross section through the device with the cover partly raised. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the letter file and portfolio.

ig.'5 is an enlarged detail view of the means. for clamping the typewriter in place.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that my device as a whole ismade up in the shape of a suit case having the bottom section 1 and the top section 2 hinged together along the rear edge as is usual. The bottom section is deeper than the upper section having higher side walls, but the upper section also has marginal flanges or walls 3 which meet the Walls of the lower section.

following is a specifica- In addition to the top and'bottom sections I also use an intermediate partition 4: which is hinged to the lower section along its rear edge adjacent the hinge connecting with the top, and this intermediate partition is sufficiently wide and long to overlap the lower section extending overthe top of the vertical walls 5 of that section. By this construction the intermediate partition is clamped between the top and bottom sections when the desk is closed. On this partition I may place holders 6, 7 for pens, pencils, etc. and

I may also secure to it a p1n cushion 8.

Along one side I make openings in the partition and place boxes Specification of Letters Patent. I Application filed August 22, 1911.

- These turn-buttons,

9, 10,11 therein, these Serial Ila 645,413.

boxes being secured to the partition and projecting down below it, as will be seen in Fig. 3. The cloth lining for the partition preferably goes around and beneath these boxes and it will, of course, be understood that these boxes may be used to contain stamps, paper fasteners, rubber band, etc.

IVithin the top section 2 I hinge a partition 12 a slight distance from the lower or inner end of the top, and this partition has behind it near its ends the leaf springs 13 tending to turn it on its hinges to theopen position as shown in Fig. 3. It is normally held against such turning by the sprin catch 14, this catch being so constructed that when the partition is pushed back into place it will automatically pass over the catch and Patented July 20, 1915.

will then be held back in position. It will be understood that letters and other flat papers may be placed in behind this partition in the top of the casing. On the outer exposed face of this series of pockets to contain letters, envelops and other articles and, as shown, these pockets are made up by means of supplemental partitions 15, 16 parallel to the partition l2 and connected thereto by means of side Walls and intermediate Walls forming the pockets of the proper and desired size. In addition the clothcovering for the outer partition 16 may have slots formed therein to receive the back leaf of stamp books 17,

8 so as to hold those books in proper position. In order to permit the release of the partition 12 so that access'may be conveniently had to the pockets formed on the outer exposed face of it, and in order at the same time to prevent the partition from falling too far I provide turn-buttons 19, 20 at the outer corners of the marginal Walls of the top portion 2. These buttons normally stand, as shown in Fig. 1, where they will serve as stops to limit the outward motion of the partition 12 under the influence of the springs 13 and they will thus hold the partition in such position that the contents of the pockets may be conveniently reached. however, may be pushed to one side by hand so as to permit the partition to open still farther as shown in Fig. 3 when access may behind that partition.

The bottom section of the main casing is provided with partitions and other means business mans desk. Atone end there is be had to the papers held partition I provide a formed in the bottom section a box 21 which is provided with a cover hinged. at the rear end 22, this box being so constructed as to conveniently hold a card index in the usual way having the rod 23 and the follower 24. The top of this box is sufliciently below the top of the side walls 5 of the lower section to permit the boxes 9, 10 and 11 to come down into position when the partition 4 is closed. At that time the boxes 9, 10 and 11 rest on top of the box 21, .thus holding its cover closed. Next to the box 21 and at the rear part of the lower section there is a compartment 25 which may receive a stand carrying scales 26 for weighing letters and two ink wells 27, 2S, and it will also be understood that other writers materials may be placed in this compartment. ()n the front wall of this compartment I place a block 29 which I preferably make of wood and with a lower section curved on the arc of a circle, its purpose being to serve as a stop to hold a typewriter 30 in place. The typewriter 30 is of a type now in use made in compact form with hinged side bars 31 carrying the platen 32 and permitting the platen to be turned down in front as shown in Fig. 3 or to be turned back into writing position when the device is in operation. The rear side of the typewriter has a portion which fits beneath and against the block 29 so as to securely hold the rear part of the typewriter down. The intermediate partition 4 has on its under face at its outer edge 2 downwardly projecting extensions 33 which are so shaped as to rest on the top of the hinged platen section of the typewriter when it is Fig. 3, and by resting on this portion of the typewriter it clamps the machine in position when the case is closed. It will further be observed that the front wall 34 of the lower section is hinged at its bottom portion 35 and it can be turned outwardly so as -to permit convenient access to all of the equipment in the lower section. On this front wall there are two blocks or projections 36 which are, like the rest of the device, preferably covered with cloth and which are provided with vertical V-shaped slots 37 which are inclined inwardly from their bottom. These V-shaped slots engage the curved ends of the side bars 38 of the frame of the typewriter and serve to clamp it securely against the partition forming the compartment 25 and also hold down the front part of the machine. The V-shaped arrangement of these slots makes it unnecessary to accurately adjust the typewriter in position since they will engage the side bars and automatically move it sllghtly into proper position. The front wall 34 has at its side edges near the tophinged metal clasps 39 which have openings fitting over staples carried by the end walls of the botfolded into the position shown in tom section, and hooks 40 may be passed through these staples so as to hold the clasps 1n proper position when the device isclosed.

The front wall isa'ilso preferably provided with a handle 41, such as is usual with suit cases, as well as with the usual lock and the catches 42.

At oneend of the lower section I build a letter file 43 in such position that the letters filed therein will rest in a pile at the bottom of the casing, being held in the usual way by the releasable rods 44. It will, of course, be understood that the letters are to be separated by index sheets as is usual and they are to be held in position in the usual way. Above the letter file I place the portfolio 45 having pockets 46, 47, 48 to receive loose letters, this portfolio being hinged at 49 to the upper rear edge of the letter file, whereby it can be turned up into upright position where its contents may be accessible for inspection or removal and when in this position access will, of course, be given to the letter file beneath it.

It will be observed that the device, as above described, is adapted to include in very compact shape and in the form of a suit case all of the necessary equipment of a business mans desk, and the structure is such that access may be easily and quickly had to all of the equipment. The device itself may be placed on a table or on a. temporary stand and it will constitute a complete desk.

Having thus described my invention what I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A portable desk for travelers comprising bottom and top portions hinged together along one edge, an intermediate partition hinged to the bottom portion and adapted to be clamped at its margin between said portions when the desk is closed, the said partition having projections thereon extending down into the bottom portion to hold in proper position the contents thereof.

2. A portable desk for travelers comprising top and bottom portions hinged to gether in the shape of an ordinary suit case, the front wall of the bottom portion being hinged at the bottom to turn outward and being provided with releasable catches for holding it closed, an intermediate partition hinged between the top and bottom portions and overlaping their edges so as to be clamped between them, means in the bottom portion for receiving and holding the necessary devices and materials making up the ordinary equipment of a business mans desk, and means operated by said hinged front wall and intermediate partition for clamping said devices in position.

3. A portable desk for travelers comprising top and bottom portions hinged together in the shape of an ordinary suit case, the

OI- and hold the rear placed therein, and

' projections on said front wall adapted to v engage and clamp said typewriter when said front wall is'closed;

4. A portable desk for travelers comprising top and bottom portions hinged together in the shape of an ordinary suit case, the front wall of the bottom portion being hinged at the bottom to turn outward and. being provided with releasable catches for holding it closed, means in the bottom portion adapted to engage and holdthe rear .part of a typewriter placed therein, and

projections on said front wall provided with V-shaped notches adapted to engage and 5. A portable desk for travelers comprising top and bottom portions hinged together in the shap an ordinary suit case, the front wall of the bottom portion. being hinged at the bottom to turn eing provided with releasable catches for holding it closed, a letter file secured across said bottom at one end and extending out to said hinged front wall, and a portfolio for letters hinged to said letter file at-its end.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID C. COLLIER.

outward, and- 

